LEAF is a brand new car using cutting edge technology. “Perhaps we should wait until they get the bugs worked out”. This is one of the oldest refrains with any new technology. So let’s take a look at some of the development work, and introduce you to some real-world experience of an unproven Nissan vehicle.
First – the development that Nissan has put into the LEAF. Nissan’s first electric car was produced in 1947. It was called the Tama.
The Tama had a lead-acid battery, a top speed of 22 mph, and a range of 40 miles. The batteries were stored under the passenger compartment. Sound familiar? Nissan has come a long way since then. In fact in 1990, Nissan’s then-new Lithium Ion battery technology found a place in the Michael Crichton thriller “Jurassic Park”. For more information, check out this article which provides some background information on Nissan’s extensive development of electric cars and the batteries needed to run them. Cell phone technology actually moved Nissan in the direction of the laminated Li-Ion battery pack from the cylindrical battery that they had been experimenting with up until then. The referenced article also provides additional information on Nissan’s North Pole EV support – a six year extreme real-world durability test conducted starting in 2000. Nissan is truly one of the leaders in the electric car movement, which is one reason they have chosen to make such a bold statement with the LEAF.
Now let’s take a look at some real world experience with an unproven Nissan vehicle. In 2004 Nissan took a bold step – for any large, established automobile manufacturer. Nissan sold not one or two, but three brand new vehicles that had never been produced before. You might think – yeah… so what’s the big deal? Nissan built these vehicles in a factory that was brand new in Canton, Missouri and the people that were building them had never built cars before. That… was a leap of faith. New vehicles, built in a new plant, by new employees. We’re talking about the then new 2004 Nissan Titan full-size truck, Nissan Armada full-size SUV, and Nissan Quest minivan. Not that there weren’t teething problems. But they all got sorted out. While Nissan had a minivan called Quest prior to this, the 2004 Quest was an all new vehicle that shared nothing with its predecessor. So why do I bring these up now? Because I have owned a 2004 Nissan Quest for the past 6 years. This family truckster currently has over 90,000 miles on it and still sees daily use. It has survived numerous family vacations (including one last month) and has never stranded us due to mechanical failure. The first vehicle that I ever owned was a Datsun 240Z, which saw about as much abuse as I could throw at it. I still categorize that as the most fun car that I’ve ever owned. I owned the Z for 20 years. Kind of wish I’d kept it now.
The LEAF has some pretty significant advantages over that 2004 Quest. The Oppama Japan plant where the LEAF prototypes are currently being produced, and where initial production is slated to begin in a couple of months, has made over 15 million vehicles since its start of production in 1961. The plant was the first to use welding robots in 1970 – an innovation at the time. When LEAF production does come to the US in late 2012, it will be at the Smryna, Tennessee Nissan plant. The Smyrna plant has been in operation since 1983 and builds Nissan’s Altima sedan, awarded JDPower’s Best Initial Quality award in 2010 for mid-size sedans. No matter how skeptical you might be about the “first year” concerns about the LEAF, Nissan has provided a track record of solid performance, and commitment to product development in the electric vehicle arena.